Affordable Housing Task Force

OVERVIEW AND MISSION

The Affordable Housing Task Force (AHTF) of NOAH was formed in August, 2014 with a mission of identifying ways to organize and advocate for low and middle income Nashvillians to obtain and retain quality affordable housing. We pursue this mission by educating the community about the need, advocating with elected government officials, and engaging with other stakeholders who provide or impact affordable housing. Task force members consist of leaders from faith-based organizations, not-for-profits, unions, and other organizations. We meet once a month to identify proactive strategies that will ensure Nashville neighborhoods continue to be vibrant; and to work towards a vision of equitable, inclusive and sensible affordable housing for all.

The Affordable Housing Task Force was formed to address the deficit in affordable housing in Nashville:

Nashville’s deficit in affordable housing is projected to increase from 18,000 affordable rental units to 31,000 by 2025.1 -3

Up to 31% of homeowners and over 50% of renters are cost-burdened, forcing them to move further away from their jobs and family. 1-3

Although the official estimate of homelessness in Nashville on any given day in 2017 was approximately 2,300 people, 4-5 advocates estimate that more than 20,000 people experience homelessness in a year’s time.6-8

In 2016-2017 Metro Nashville public schools identified over 3,400 students who met the McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness, meaning that they lacked a fixed-regular, and adequate night-time residence. 8 Because many families do not disclose homelessness, and many infants and youth are not counted, this number likely under-represents the problem7,9

WHY IT MATTERS

We are all interconnected, and the well-being of marginalized Nashvillians impacts us all. 10

There are health, social, and moral costs when failing to have affordable housing for Nashvillians from different income levels, age groups, racial/ethnic groups, and the disabled.11-14

Nashville’s economy falters when secure, quality, workforce housing, in reasonable proximity to the workplace, is unaffordable and hard to find for workers at low-and moderate-income levels, such as teachers, service workers and the police.16

We agree with Reverend Bill Barnes’ statement that “lack of affordable housing results in concentrated poverty in neighborhoods and ongoing harm to the health and development of our children.” 17-19